There are approximately 50 settlements and remnants of villages in Tusheti. Based on their development, they can be divided into two groups:

I. Historical settlements – Chontio, Hegho, Dakiaurta, Nakudurta (Prikita community); Indurta, Tsaro, Etelta, Sagirta, Shavtskala (Tsova community) were abandon in the edge of XIX and XX centuries due to geo-political or other reasons. As a result they have conserved its previous historical form intact.

II. Traditional settlements (Omalo, Dochu, Dartlo, etc) had lost their function as defense shield; their type of constructions had changed and the main location had shifted from strategically important one to rather flat surface.

 

According to their development, there are three main types of housing common in Tusheti: Traditional, Transitional and Modern.

 

Traditional type is common in historical settlements. It is a 2-6-floor construction with a tower that reminds of fortress but is used not only for defense and protection but for living as well. This was a common habitat for extended families. Extended families survived due to the necessity of collective work and defense.

 

Transitional type of housing is again a fortress-house but with an extended constructions for storage of different goods. This type if called “Karseani”. People in Tusheti started to construct this type of housing from the mid 19^th century. By the end of 19^th century its architecture had evolved into a house with balcony, driven by the aesthetic side of construction and decorated with urban-style doors and windows and ornamented balconies.

Inseparable part of Tushetian landscape is fortification with towers that is typologically similar to fortress-house common in Tusheti. These types of fortresses were either owned by one family or by the village and it was used for defense as well as warfare. 

There are two types of fortification characteristic to Tusheti: the first with pyramid-shaped roof common in Pirikiti Tusheti (Dartlo, Kvavlo, Parsma, Girevi, Hegho, Chontio) and the second, with one or two-sided pitched roofs common throughout Tusheti.

There are three types of religious architecture in Tusheti: pre-Chastain (pagan), pagan-Christian (syncretic) and Christian.

Typical monument of pre-Christian architecture is so called “Djvar-Khati”. This is sacral, religious territory with small-size constructions with towers, shelters for clergy and other building for religious rituals made out of shale.

Monuments of syncretic architecture include small-size chapels from medieval period. Those construction remind local burials, but they are “faced” to from west to east, have refectory and windows (in villages Dartlo, Gudaanta, Tsaro), as it is characteristic to Christian architecture.

 

Monuments of Christian architecture in Tusheti are churches built in XIX centaury by Russians. These are canonic Christian churches in Shenako, Omalo Natsikhari, Iliurta, Chvarboseli, Dartlo, Parsma.

 

Typical burials are from medieval age. They are built from shale, have an arched roof made of float slates (Hehgo, Chigho, Tsaro, Alisgori).

Among public buildings one of the most remarkable constructions is “Sabcheo” (Council) in the village Dartlo. It is a unique monument of tribal system of justice. It consists of a hall with 12 stone armchairs for the elders. In front of those sits, there are tow stones – a place for accuser and defendant. Today, this monument is nearly destructed and only three sits remain.